1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an X-ray analysis apparatus and an X-ray analysis method which are suitable for performing an X-ray mapping analysis on a surface of a sample through, for example, a fluorescent X-ray analysis.
2. Description of the Related Art
A fluorescent X-ray analysis is used to perform a qualitative analysis or a quantitative analysis of a sample by radiating the sample with an X-ray emitted from an X-ray source, detecting a fluorescent X-ray which is a characteristic X-ray emitted from the sample with an X-ray detector, and by obtaining a spectrum from energy of the fluorescent X-ray. The Fluorescent X-ray analysis enables the non-destructive and quick analysis of the sample, and therefore the Fluorescent X-ray analysis is widely used in manufacturing process management, quality control, or the like. In recent years, precision and sensitivity have been increased in the X-ray analysis, which enables trace measurement. Accordingly, there is expected the diffusion of the X-ray analysis as an analysis technique of performing especially detection of a harmful substance contained in a material, a composite electronic component, or the like.
As analysis techniques in the Fluorescent X-ray analysis, there are a wavelength dispersive method for splitting a fluorescent X-ray by an analyzing crystal to measure a wavelength and an intensity of the X-ray, an energy dispersive method for detecting a fluorescent X-ray with a semiconductor detector without splitting the fluorescent X-ray to measure an energy and an intensity of the X-ray with a pulse height analyzer, and the like.
Conventionally, for example, JP04-175647A proposes an X-ray mapping device including an X-ray tube for irradiating a sample with an X-ray, an X-ray detector for detecting a fluorescent X-ray generated from the sample irradiated with the X-ray, a pulse processor for discriminating an element contained in the sample and its intensity based on an output of the X-ray detector, a computer to which a signal transmitted from the pulse processor is input, and an image processing system for processing an output of the computer to display a distribution of an X-ray intensity in a two-dimensional image.
However, the above-mentioned conventional technology has the following problem.
That is, the conventional device for performing X-ray mapping can discriminate a distribution of a specific element by colors or a contrast thereof on an image to some extent, based on a magnitude of the intensity of the X-ray. However, there is no reference of an element concentration, and hence it is difficult to recognize a distribution of an element which has a predetermined concentration or more directly from an image.